Apparatus relating to false twisting



1967 R. s. GILCHRIST APPARATUS RELATING TO FALSE TWISTING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1965 INVENTOZ Zlt *Jfl ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1967 5, G|LHR|$T 3,350,869

APPARATUSRELATING TO FALSE TWISTING Filed July 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 igimgla 7% mivli ATTORNEYS 1967 R. s. GILCHRIST APPARATUS RELATING TO FALSE TWISTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 8, 1965 INVENTOR f 0 f 442/ ATTORNZS United States Patent M 3,350,869 APPARATUS RELATING TO FALSE TWISTING Reginald Selby Gilchrist, London, England, assignor to The Klinger Manufacturing Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed July 8, 1965, Ser. No. 470,633 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 9, 1964, 28,332/ 64 22 Claims. (Cl. 57--77.3)

This invention relates to apparatus for the false twisting of synthetic thermo-plastic or thermo-setting yarn, and particularly to apparatus for controlling the yarn as it leaves the false twisting device.

In order to twist or false twist a yarn it is caused to travel through a twisting device wherein it is rotated about its axis. Many false twist devices have been produced for this purpose which rely upon the friction existing between the yarn and some part of the twisting device, and in most of these the yarn does not leave the device with its centre of gravity in line with the axis of rotation of the yarn within the twisting device. For example, false twist devices commonly employ a hollow false twist spindle which in operation is rotated at a high speed and through which the yarn passes. In order to grip the yarn, a cross member, which may be a pin or a pulley, is secured across the bore of the spindle and the yarn passed once or more times around it. To maintain the spindle balanced, the cross-member can be mounted centrally within the bore and with this arrangement it will be appreciated that the yarn will leave the spindle displaced by one half the diameter of the cross-member. Alternative proposals have been made for false twist devices having a rotatable spindle wherein the yarn is gripped between the outside of the spindle and the driving and/or supporting means for the spindle. Again it has been proposed to twist yarn by passing it between a plurality of overlapping rotating wheels having their axes of rotation spaced apart.

In these examples and in many other twisting devices the displacement of the yarn as it leaves the device gives rise to ballooning or whirling of the yarn as it leaves the device. As seen by the naked eye the yarn is vibrating with one or more nodes therein, or sections of the yarn which remain undisturbed by the ballooning of the yarn. Such vibrations in the yarn can affect the subsequent steps or processes to which the yarn is subjected in the false twist machine, and more particularly affect the tension in the yarn and hence the twist applied to the yarn as it passes through the twisting device. Variations in the tension in the yarn can affect the grip of the spindle upon the yarn, a reduction in tension allowing slippage to occur.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce or eliminate ballooning of the yarn as it leaves the false twist device.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for false twisting yarn including a false twisting device and guide means for controlling the yarn as it leaves the false twisting device, said guide means having at least two guiding portions in contact with which the yarn is caused to pass, said guiding portions being spaced apart and so disposed that in operation the yarn is deflected away from its direction of travel from the false twisting device as it passes in contact with one of said guiding portions and is deflected in an opposite sense as it passes in contact with the other of said guiding portions. 7

- The guide means can include a third guiding portion disposed so that, in operation, the yarn is deflected away from its direction of travel as it passes in contact there- 3,350,869 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 with in a direction transverse to the direction of the deflection as it passes in contact with said two guiding portions.

The first guiding portion with which the yarn contacts after leaving the false twist device can be spaced from the false twist device a distance less than the distance of the first node in the yarn from the point where the yarn leaves the false twist device. The two guiding portions are preferably spaced apart a distance less than the distance of said node from the point where the yarn leaves the false twisting device. a

The first guiding portion can be spaced less than 1 inch from the point where the yarn leaves the false twist device, and said two guiding portions can be less than /2 inch apart.

The third guiding portion may be disposed between said two guiding portions or may be integral with one of said two guiding portions.

The guiding portions can be mounted on a movable member for adjusting the positions of said guiding portions. The movable member can be rotatable about an axis of rotation transverse to the axis of rotation of the yarn as it leaves the false twist device; the axis of rotation of the movable member can intersect the axis of rotation of the yarn as it leaves the false twisting device. The movable member can be axially adjustable in the direction of its axis of rotation.

The guide means may conveniently comprise a pin, at least two guiding portions being formed by the edges of a slot formed in the pin, or alternatively the guide means may comprise at least two pins each of which form one of said guiding portions.

The third guiding portion may be provided by the edges of a slot formed in one of said pins or the third guiding location may be provided by one of said pins being a pin having a reduced diameter.

The false twist device can include a rotatable twist tube through which the yarn is caused to pass, the first of said guiding portions with which the yarn contacts being spaced from the outlet end of said tube a distance less than the length of said tube. The two guiding portions can be spaced apart a distance less than half the length of said tube.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for false twisting yarn including a false twisting device having a rotatable spindle which is magnetically drawn into contact with and magnetically located relative to a driving transmission, and guide means for controlling the yarn as it leaves the rotatable spindle, said guide means having two guiding portions in contact with which the yarn is caused to pass, said guiding portions being spaced apart and so disposed that in operation each of said guiding portions deflect the yarn away from its direction of travel from the false twisting device, the direction of deflection at one of said guiding portions being in a plane away from said direction of travel and the direction of deflection at another of said guiding portions being in said plane and towards said direction of travel. The guiding portions can be adjustable to vary the deflection of the yarn at said guidingportions.

The guide means can include a third guiding portion disposed so that in operation the yarn isalso deflected from said direction of travel in a second plane transverse to the plane in which the yarn is deflected by the other guiding'portions. The second plane can be substantially parallel with the direction .:of movement of said spindle at its point of contact with said driving transmission.

. The guidemeans can be adjustable in said second plane so that, in operation, said second guiding portion acts through the yarn to'displace one end of the spindle such that the pull of the yarn in passing through the spindle is.

substantially balanced by said displacement of one end of the spindle.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for false twisting yarn including a false twisting device, and guide means for controlling the yarn as it leaves the false twisting device, said guide means having at least two guiding portions spaced apart and in contact with which the yarn is caused to pass, said guide means being adjustable so that at least one of the guiding portions lies either on the axis of rotation of the false twisting device or on either side thereof. The guide means can be rotatably adjustable and the axis of rotation of the guide means can intersect the axis of rotation of the false twist device. The axis of rotation of the guide means can be perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the false twisting device and the guide means can be adjustable in the direction of its axis of rotation.

The guiding portions of said guide means can be formed by pins projecting therefrom. At least one of said pins may have a reduced diameter to provide lateral location for the yarn passing thereover or alternatively at least one of said pins may be formed with a slot to provide lateral location for the yarn passing thereover.

The guide means can comprise a pin formed with a slot through which the yarn is caused to travel, the edges of the slot forming the guiding portions. The bottom of the slot can form a further guiding portion, said further guiding portion locating the yarn in a plane transverse to the plane in which the yarn is located by the edges of the slot.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of false twisting yarn wherein the yarn after passing through a false twist device is passed in contact with a first guide means disposed so that the yarn after contacting said first guide means is inclined to the path of the yarn from the false twist device to the first guide means and so that the length of said path is less than the distance from the false twist device of the first node in the yarn. The inclination of the yarn after contacting said first guide means relative to the path of the yarn before contacting said first guide means can be adjustable. The direction of the path of the yarn before contacting said first guide means can be adjustable.

The yarn after passing in contact with said first guide means can pass in contact with a second guide means disposed so that the path of the yarn between said first and said second guide means is inclined to the path of the yarn between the first guide means and the false twisting device. The path of the yarn between said first and said second guide means can be inclined to the axis of rotation of the yarn as it leaves the false twist device; the path of the yarn between the first and the second guide means can intersect an extension of the axis of rotation of the yarn as it leaves the false twist device. The inclination of the path of the yarn between said first and said second guide means can be adjustable relative to the path of the yarn between said first guide means and the false twist device.

The yarn can also be deflected in a plane transverse to the plane in which the path of the yarn is inclined by said first guide means, which deflection can be adjustable.

By way of example, embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a false twist device;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the false twist device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale of the guide of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevation of the guide in FIG- URE 3 along the line IV--IV;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of another form of guide;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the guide in FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the yarn leaving a false twist tube having a cross-member;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of a further form of guide; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional end elevation of the guide in FIGURE 8 along the line IXIX.

FIGURES 1 and 2 show a false twist device which can be bolted or pivoted to the frame of an apparatus (not shown) for false twisting yarn. The transmission means for driving the false twist spindle 1 is mounted on a bracket 2 and is enclosed by a cover 3. The transmission means can comprise a bearing 4 passing through and secured to the bracket 2, the bearing having a flange (not visible) held against the upper surface of the bracket by a nut 5 tightened against the underside of the bracket. A shaft 6 is rotatably mounted in the bearing 4 which is of a type that prevents axial movement of the shaft relative to the bearing. On one end of the shaft 6 is secured a sleeve 7 of hard wearing synthetic material; on the other end of the shaft 6 is secured a cylindrical member of a light weight non-magnetic alloy (not visible) to the outside of which is secured one or more bands of a hard wearing rubber-like synthetic material, such as polyurethane elastomer. A pair of powerful horseshoe magnets (not visible) are spaced apart by and secured by an adhesive to a non-magnetic support block (not visible) which is in turn mounted on the bracket 2 by means of a set screw (not visible), the shaft 6 passing between the two magnets and the cylindrical member substantially filling, in the axial direction of the member, the space between the limbs of the magnets. The magnets are arranged with like poles adjacent, like poles being joined by pole pieces 8 and 9 which are visible through an opening 10 in the cover 3. The pole pieces 8 and 9 are identical and taper towards their tips adjacent the spindle 1.

The spindle is magnetically drawn into driving engagement with the bands by the magnetic field passing from the tips of the pole pieces and through the spindle, the spindle thereby completing the magnetic circuit. The spindle is hollow and, as shown in FIGURE 7, has a pin 29 extending across the bore at one end.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2 the false twist head may be provided with a guard 11 of non-magnetic material pivoted to the cover 3 at 12 and 13 and retained in its operating position by a spring clip 14 secured to the cover 3 by screws 15.

An upper yarn guide 16 is secured to the top of the cover 3 having a guiding hole 17 substantially in line with the axis of rotation of the spindle 1, the slot 18 facilitating threading up of the yarn. In FIGURES l and 2 the part 19 either represents a lower yarn guide secured at a convenient position to the frame of the apparatus, its position being dictated by the relative positions of the false twist device and the next part of the false twisting apparatus through which the yarn is, in operation, caused to travel or represents the next part of the false twisting apparatus.

An adjustable yarn guide 20 is secured by an adhesive to a holder 21 having a shank 22 which is a sliding or free fit within a hole 23 in the cover 3. The holder and guide may be locked in any desired position by a set screw 24, threadably mounted in the cover, bearing on the shank 22.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 the guide 20, which can be formed from a ceramic material, has a diametral slot 25 cut in one end, the edges 26, 26a and 27a being smoothly radiused and polished. The bottom or throat 28 of the slot 25 is similarly curved to present a smooth surface to yarn passing in contact with it.

In operation the sleeve 7 of the false twist device is engaged and rotated by a flight of an endless belt (not shown). The cylindrical member and the band or hands secured thereto are thereby rotated and in turn the spindle 1 is rotated, the spindle being drawn against the band or bands by the magnets, a small clearance existing -be-' tween the pole pieces 3 and and the spindle 1. Yarn 35 is caused to pass through the spindle passing around the pin 29 as is well known in false twisting practice.

FIGURE 2 shows the guide 20 arranged with the slot 25 in line with the path of the yarn between the spindle 1 and the lower guide 19. In this position the guide has no control over the yarn and ballooning or whirling occurs due to the yarn not leaving the spindle in line with the axes of rotation of the spindle. The vibrations in the yarn form a pattern somewhat as shown in FIGURE 7, with a number of nodes 30, 30a or sections of the yarn undisturbed by the vibrations, the number of nodes depending upon the speed of rotation of the spindle and the denier of the yarn. By rotating the adjustable yarn guide 20 to the position shown in FIGURE 3, the edges 26 and 27 being disposed nearer the end of the spindle 1 than the first node 30a, the ballooning can be reduced or eliminated from the yarn subsequent to it passing through the guide. With the guide in this position the yarn 35 passes first over the edge 26 and is deflected away from the path of travel of the yarn from the spindle in a first plane and as it passes over the edge 27 it is deflected in the same plane but in an opposite sense.

\ When the path of the yarn from the spindle 1 to the lower guide 19 is not in line with the axis of rotation of the spindle but is offset as shown in dotted lines in FIG- URE l, the bottom or throat 28 of the slot 25 serves to locate the yarn and maintain the yarn path between the guide 20 and the spindle 1 in line with the spindle and so eliminate any tendency for the yarn to dislodge the spindle from its normal operating position as shown. The throat 28 may also assist in reducing or eliminating ballooning in the yarn path after the guide by acting upon the yarn in a second plane transverse to the plane in which the yarn is deflected by the edges 26 and 27 of the slot 25.

Also the throat 28 of the slot 25 may be employed to assist in balancing out the axial pull on the spindle of the yarn passing through the spindle. This is achieved by adjusting the guide 20 so that the throat of the slot acts through the yarn to slightly tilt the axis of rotation of the spindle 1 relative to the axis of rotation of the driving member, which for the construction described is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the sleeve 7. For example, in FIGURE 1 the yarn is travelling downwards through the spindle with a consequent tendency for the spindle to be displaced in a downward direction. The sleeve 7 is rotated in the direction of arrow A. The guide 20 is adjusted so that the throat is slightly offset to the left of the axis of rotation of the driving member and hence the yarn tends to pull the lower end of the spindle slightly to the left. This tilting of the spindle tends to cause the spindle to move axially upwards relative to the driving member, and by adjusting the amount of tilt imparted to the spindle, the downward pull of the yarn on the spindle can be substantially balanced. When the direction of rotation of the driving member is reversed the throat is adjusted to-be slightly offset to the right of the axis of rotation of ,the driving member to achieve the same balancing effect.

If the path of the yarn from the spindle to the lower guide is not in line with the axis of rotation of the spindle but is offset as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2, the guide 20 may still be rotated to a position where the yarn contacts, and is deflected by, each of the edges 26 and 27 of the slot.

FIGURES 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of guide having a shank 31 which fits in the hole 23 in the cover 3 and is gripped by the set screw 24 to hold the guide in any desired position. One end of the shank 31 is enlarged in diameter at 32 to form a flange in which two pins 33 and 34 are secured so as to extend therefrom in the axial direction of the shank.

In operation the yarn passes around the pins as shown in FIGURE 5 and is deflected thereby in the same way as by the edges 26 and 27 of the slot in the previous embodiment. One or both of the pins may have a reduced diameter as shown in FIGURE 6 to provide location for the yarn in a plane transverse to the plane in which the yarn is deflected by the pins as shown in FIGURE 5. The reduced diameter may therefore assist in reducing or eliminating the ballooning effect of the yarn in the same way as the throat 28 of the slot in the previous embodiment. The reduced diameter also enables the lower guide to be offset from the axis of rotation of the spindle so that the yarn path from the guide to the lower guide may be as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 6.

Preferably the guides are rotated in the clockwise direction as shown to increase rather than decrease the pressure of the spindle with the driving member. Rotation of the guide 20 in anticlockwise direction brings the edges 26a and 27a (FIGURE 3) into contact with the yarn.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show a further alternative embodiment in which the guide comprises a holder having a shank 36 which can be secured in the hole 23 of the cover 3 by the set screw 24. One end of the holder is enlarged to provide a flange 37 which is eccentric to the shank 36. Secured to the flange 37 are two pins 38 and 39 formed of a ceramic material, the pin 38 being of a larger diameter than the pin 39. In the smaller pin 39 is formed a narrow slot or groove 40 having a rounded base as shown in FIGURE 9.

In operation the yarn passes over the small pin 39, through at least a part of the slot 40 and then around the larger pin 38. As the yarn passes over each of the pins it is deflected in its path of travel and ballooning of the yarn is thereby controlled. As shown in- FIGURE 9 the guide is rotatably adjusted to align the path of travel of the yarn from the spindle to the first guiding portion with the axis of rotation of the spindle. In this way the path of travel of the yarn does not impair the stability of the spindle. The slot 40 locates the path of travel of the yarn in the second plane transverse to the plane in which the yarn is deflected bythe pins and allows the subsequent path of travel of the parn from the guide means to be out of line with the axis of rotation of the spindle.

The pin 38 may be disposed centrally below the spindle or it may be offset slightly one way or the other from the position shown in FIGURE 9, the guide being rotatably adjusted to align the yarn between the spindle and the guide as described above.

What is claimed is: t

1. Apparatus for false twisting yarn including a false twisting device and guide means having at least two guiding portions in contact with which the yarn is caused to pass' as it leaves the false twist device, said guiding portions being spaced apart and disposed so that at least one of the guiding portions is offset from the path of the yarn from the false twist device to the first guiding portion whereby the yarn path between the two guiding portions iis inclined with respect to the path of the yarn from the false twist device to the first guiding portion and to the path of the yarn as it leaves the second guiding portion.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first guiding portion is in line with the axis of rotation of the yarn as it leaves the false twist device, the yarn path from the false twist device to the first guiding portion thereby being in line with the axis of rotation of the yarn within the false twist device in said plane.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the yarn guide is adjustable to vary the position of at least one of the guiding portions relative to the axis of rotation of the yarn within the false twist device.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the yarn guide is adjustable to vary the position of the first and second guiding portions relative to the axis of rotation of the yarn within the false twist device.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the yarn guide is rotatably adjustable to vary the positions of the guiding portions.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the guide means has a third guiding portion adjacent said first and second guiding portions and disposed substantially in line with the axis of rotation of the yarn within the false twist device in a plane transverse to said plane in which the path of the yarn between the first and second guiding portions is inclined to the yarn paths to and from the guide means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the third guiding portion is disposed substatnially in line with the axis of rotation of the yarn within the false twist device in a plane perpendicular to said plane in which the path of the yarn between the first and second guiding portions is inclined to the yarn paths to and from the guide means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the guide means is rotatably adjustable in the direction of its axis of rotation to adjust the position of the third guiding portion relative to the axis of rotation of the yarn within the false twist device.

9. Apparatus for false twisting yarn including a false twist device and guide means for controlling the yarn as it leaves the false twist device, the yarn having nodes produced by the travel of the yarn through the false twisting device, said guide means comprising at least two portions adapted to contact the yarn, the guide means being spaced therefrom a distance less than the distance of the first node in the yarn from the false twist device.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the portion of the guide means nearest the false twist device is spaced from the false twist device a distance less than the distance of the first node in the yarn from the false twist device.

11. Apparatus for false twisting yarn including a false twisting device having a rotatable spindle which is magnetically drawn into contact with and magnetically located relative to a driving transmission, and guide means for controlling the yarn as it leaves the rotatable spindle, said guide means having two guiding portions in contact with which the yarn is caused to pass, said guiding portions being spaced apart and so disposed that in operation each of said guiding portions deflect the yarn from its direction of travel from the false twisting device, the direction of deflection at one of said guiding portions being in a plane away from said direction of travel and the direction of deflection at another of said guiding portions being in said plane and towards said direction of travel.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the guide means comprises a slotted pin, the edges of the slot forming the guiding portions.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which the base of the slot forms a third guiding portion at right angles to said first and second guiding portions.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the guiding means comprises two parallel pins arranged transverse to the axis of rotation of the false twist spindle,

the guiding portions being formed by the circumferences of said pins.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which the guide means is mounted to rotate about an axis in line with the centre line of one of said pins.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 in which a slot is provided in one of said pins, the edges of the slot for. ing a third guiding portion at right angles to said first and said second guiding portions.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the first and third guiding portions are adjustable to substantially align the path of the yarn from the false twist spindle to the guide means with the axis of rotation of the false twist spindle.

18. Apparatus for false twisting yarn including a false twisting device having a rotatable spindle, magnetic means and a driving transmission, the magnetic means drawing the spindle into engagement with the driving transmission, yarn guide means adjacent the outlet end of the false twist spindle, the yarn guide means having two guiding portions formed by pins and a third guiding portion formed by a slot in one of said pins, said guide means being adjustable to vary the position of said guiding portions relative to the false twist spindle whereby, in operation, yarn passing through the false twist device is contacted on three sides by said guiding portions to reduce ballooning of the yarn.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which the guiding portions are adjustable so that in operation the guiding portions control the path of the yarn leaving the false twist spindle which in turn controls the stability of the false twist spindle.

20. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the yarn path between the two guiding portions is inclined in a single plane both to the path of the yarn from the false twist device to the first guiding portion and to the path of the yarn as it leaves the second guiding portion.

21. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said guiding means are pins at least one of which has a reduced diameter.

22. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said guiding means are pins, both of which have a reduced diameter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,097 2/1951 Shaffer et al 242-154 X 2,893,198 7/1959 Schrenk et al. 5777.3 3,035,399 5/1962 Scragg 5777.45 3,036,423 5/1963 Stoddard et al. 57-77.45 X 3,276,196 10/1966 Grunder 5777.3 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 757,298 9/ 1956 Great Britain. 815,650 7/1959 Great Britain.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

D. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR FALSE TWISTING YARN INCLUDING A FALSE TWISTING DEVICE AND GUIDE MEANS HAVING AT LEAST TWO GUIDING PORTIONS IN CONTACT WITH WHICH THE YARN IS CAUSED TO PASS AS ITS LEAVES THE FALSE TWIST DEVICE, SAID GUIDING PORTIONS BEING SPACED APART AND DISPOSED SO THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE GUIDING PORTIONS IS OFFSET FROM THE PATH OF THE YARN FROM THE FALSE TWIST DEVICE TO THE FIRST GUIDING PORTION WHEREBY THE YARN PATH BETWEEN THE TWO GUIDING PORTIONS IN INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO THE PATH OF THE YARN FROM THE FALSE TWIST DEVICE TO THE FIRST GUIDING PORTION AND TO THE PATH OF THE YARN AS ITS LEAVES THE SECOND GUIDING PORTION. 